Cheap Eats - BYO Baby
Smyrna’s Zucca offers affordable Italian in kid-friendly digs
There’s something in the water in Smyrna. I don’t know of a single childless couple among my friends who live there. While my assertion that it may be the most fertile corner of Atlanta has no basis in science, a quick glance around Zucca supports the theory: The main dining room seems to be equal parts nursery and seating area. Most every table includes an infant, and some families have toted their entire brood with them. A nearby group has a portable DVD player stationed next to the sippy cups and slices of pizza to pacify their four kids.
Stick to it: I like my pleasures a little guilty, and few treats satisfy that urge better than mozzarella sticks ($5.95). Zucca’s version is perfectly fine — gooey and stringy, golden brown and crisp, served with a dish of marinara. Mussels bianco ($7.95) are surprisingly tender and supple, with the lightest napping of white wine sauce and a pleasing garlicky kick. The chunk of super soggy focaccia centered on the plate is puzzling, though. We initially mistook it for a wad of cheesecloth in the dimmed lighting.
Dry season: The very embodiment of summertime eating, Caprese salad ($6.95) — with burstingly ripe tomato slices and soft, custard-like mozzarella drizzled with olive oil — is ruined by a heavy hand of dried basil and oregano. It’s a mystery why the kitchen has decided to replace the traditional fresh basil. The crumbly, sawdust-like dried herbs contribute such a nasty, gritty mouth feel that I want to wipe my tongue off after the first bite. Caesar salad ($4.95) is crisp, light and generously portioned, but the absence of anchovies in the dressing equals disappointing blandness.
My piece of the pie: Many families around us have opted to fill their bellies with huge pizzas. Individual pies are sized for healthy appetites; large pizzas feed a crowd. The chicken parmesan pizza ($11.50) features a light, crisp crust but the sauce is totally bland. The bits of breaded fried chicken are hard and dry. The mozzarella suffers from the same lack of pizzazz. On a second visit, the margherita ($11.50) fares a bit better, offering zing with zesty marinara and more cheese for the chew.
Eating for two: The eggplant parmesan lasagna ($13.95) is an enormous, creamy concoction served in a chafing dish large enough to bathe a baby in. The slices of crumb-coated, fried eggplant aren’t distinct from the noodles, sauce and mozzarella, but its tongue-scalding, bubbly consistency is appealing. Zucca would benefit greatly from just a touch more attention to the food, which nearly makes the mark. Service could not be any friendlier, and the atmosphere is perfect for an inexpensive night out with as many kids in tow as you can fit in your car.